The Iconic Pignosed Turtle

The pignosed turtle is the sole remaining species of what was once a widespread family distributed through Asia, Europe and North America. As such it is of considerable conservation interest, and its biology holds many novel surprises. We have unravelled the complexities of temperature-dependent sex determination in natural nests of the species, learned much of its reproductive biology including the habit of nesting twice every second year and its split personality when it comes to nesting in the New Guinea lowlands. Its conservation biology in Papua New Guinea is a focus of our current research, working along side local communities in bringing about solutions to ensure sustainability of populations of this important food resource for future generations.

Eisemberg, C.C.2011.Nesting ecology, harvest and conservation of the pig-nosed turtle (Carettochelys insculpta) in the Kikori Region, Papua New Guinea.PhD Thesis, Applied Ecology, University of Canberra

Doody, J.S., Georges, A. and Young J.E.2004.Determinants of reproductive success and offpring sex in a turtle with environmental sex determination.Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, London, 80:1-16.

Doody, J.S., Georges, A. and Young, J.E.2003.Twice every second year reproduction in the pig-nosed turtle, Carettochelys insculpta, in the wet-dry tropics of Australia.Journal of Zoology, London 259:179-188.
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Doody, J.S., Georges, A. and Young, J.E.1999.Reproductive biology of the pignose turtle, Carettochelys insculpta, in Australia: Why lay two clutches every other year rather than one clutch each year?Pp. 93 in Joint Meeting of the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists American Elasmobranch Society, Herpetologists League, and the Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles, Pennsylvania State University.

Beggs, K.E.1998.Embryonic development of the pig-nosed turtle, Carettochelys insculpta, under constant and fluctuating temperature regimes.Honours Thesis, Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, January 1992.